The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain: A Fancy for Christmas-Time is a novella by Charles Dickens first published in 1848.

The same year it was published The Haunted Man was adapted for the West End stage when it was performed at the Adelphi Theatre in December 1848, and it received renewed vigour in an 1862 Christmas Eve production which saw the first public demonstration of "Pepper's ghost"—a method of projecting the illusion of a ghost into a theatre (named after its designer John Henry Pepper)—which caused a sensation among those in attendance at the Regent Street theatre in London.

After the Ghost bestows his gift, a child dressed in rags with no shoes appears in Redlaw's house.

When Milly arrives to tend to Denham, Redlaw has started to realize that his gift is more of a curse.

He begs the Ghost to remove the gift from everyone he has infected, even if it means that Redlaw will remain forgetful.

[3] The Times reported: ‘We really do not think we say a word too much in praise when we call this “strange lecture” one of the most curious displays in London.

[2]An instant success, the play transferred to the Polytechnic's large theatre and continued to be performed throughout 1863, with the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) bringing his new bride (later Queen Alexandra) to see the illusion.